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September 24, 2018 ·

Hopefully by now, you’ve heard that recycling has changed in Lancaster County. Residents should place only the “Big 4” in their recycling bins: 1) corrugated cardboard, 2) plastic bottles and jugs with a neck, 3) metal food and beverage cans, and 4) glass bottles and jars.

But you may not have heard that Lancaster County is not the only community impacted by recent recycling changes. The “recycling crisis” has created significant challenges for recycling programs across the United States. So, how did we get here?

For many years, well-meaning “wishful recyclers” have incorrectly believed that most things are recyclable. In part, this misconception grew from the waste industry’s desire to facilitate a convenient process for recyclers. The message was: “Put it all in your bin. We’ll sort it later.” Unfortunately, this convenience turned problematic when contamination levels increased. Contamination happens when people place materials in the recycling bin that do not belong. And the largest importer of recyclable materials from the U.S. said “no more.”

Previously, China was the largest consumer of recyclable materials generated in the United States. Growing frustrated by high contamination in imported recycling bales, China announced their “National Sword” campaign in summer 2017. This initiative enforced a crackdown on imported waste and communicated China’s intent to ban most recyclable materials, including post-consumer plastic and mixed paper. Among the changes was also the announcement of a new quality standard prohibiting contamination to .5%, which was significantly more stringent than the previously acceptable rate of 5%. And the hits kept coming. In July 2018, China announced their plan to ban all imported recycled commodities by the end of 2018.

So where does this leave us? Unfortunately, the United States does not have enough domestic demand for recyclable materials to replace the volume China previously bought. Meaning, the market is saturated with more recyclable material than our country can use. An important point to remember is that something can only be recycled if there is a demand for that material, by a manufacturer, to be turned into a new product for consumers to buy.

This big shift in the market caused significant ripple effects, including lost revenues, higher processing and capital costs for material recovery facilities (MRFs), higher transportation costs, fewer outlets for materials and increased stockpiling issues. MRFs (re: facilities that separate, bale and market the recyclables you put in your bin) are now in a financial crisis. A reset is imperative to fix the contamination problem and help make recycling sustainable.

In Lancaster County, we believe the solution is three-fold: 1) simplicity, 2) consistency, 3) and awareness. We’re simplifying the recycling process by asking people to only place the “Big 4” in their recycling bin. We’re standardizing the message by working with municipalities, haulers and business partners to all follow the same guidelines across the county. And we’re raising awareness by publicizing the need to Recycle Right through an integrated PSA campaign, so people can learn to recycle right.

We know this is a huge shift for our community, and change will not come overnight. But if we work together, perhaps recycling can be better than it was before. Let’s Recycle Right Lancaster!

August 08, 2018 ·

Three weeks after Lancaster County waste officials announced they were scaling back curbside recycling, many residents are still putting banned items in their bins.

“We have a huge hurdle in front of us,” said Katie Sandoe of the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority. “People are still confused and working through the emotions of it. Many are saying, ‘It just feels wrong.’ ”

About 20 to 40 percent of the material being set out in curbside recycling containers should instead be placed in the trash, according to Sandoe.

The newly banned items include newspaper, magazines and many types of plastics, among other things.

Lancaster County was one of the first areas in Pennsylvania to react to a market collapse of recycling materials in the United States.

Here is a breakdown of some of the questions and concerns of county residents as they react to the recycling reset.

Why do we have to stop curbside recycling of newly banned items?

The recycling logjam was brought on by an unforeseen decision by China to stop taking many recyclables altogether and insist on uncontaminated material for other.

A rapidly developing China had been gobbling up half the world’s recycled paper and plastic. Now that it’s using many of its own resources, it doesn’t need the material, and the unwanted trash mixed in with recyclables from the U.S. has created a waste disposal problem.

Faced with no market or uncertain markets for some materials, the Lancaster County waste authority chose to cut out some recycling staples that residents had long thrown in their green recycling bins and hauled to the curb each week.

Instead, accepted recyclables have been trimmed to the “Big Four”: flattened corrugated cardboard, plastic bottles and jugs with necks, metal food and beverage cans, and glass jars and bottles. All containers must be empty, rinsed and caps removed.

Isn't this a step backward for recycling in Lancaster County?

The authority says materials now being recycled have long been in strong demand for making new products and are likely to have a strong market in the future.

The transition has been tough on avid recyclers who have long been mixing in nonrecyclable items in a behavior known as “wishful recycling,” said Sandoe.

“This is what led to the whole issue with China to begin with,” she said. “People aren’t sure what is truly recyclable so they are putting everything into their recycling bins.”

Also, curbside recycling only amounts to 14 percent of the 255,000 tons of recyclables collected in Lancaster County last year.

Recycling from businesses and institutions is largely unaffected, as they sell their material directly to recycling processors. The main problem has arisen in the processing phase of recyclables from areas where curbside collection has introduced contaminated items.

Can some items banned from curbside recycling bins still be recycled somewhere?

Yes. The authority urges residents to separate items such as newspapers, office paper, Styrofoam and other material and take it to recycling drop-off centers around the county.

For example, Lancaster city’s recycling center at 850 New Holland Ave. accepts newspapers, magazines and office paper. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

“I’m hoping we have a big uptick because I’d much rather see it brought to the recycling center than it be dumped into trash, even though I know it would be made into electricity,” said Charlotte Katzenmoyer, the city’s public works director.

She said the city still has buyers for the material, even though revenue for it has declined. She said city workers do a good job of processing the material and removing items that would contaminate it.

Another place that accepts newspapers, magazines and office paper from the public on a drop-off basis is Mennonite Central Committee’s Material Resources Center at 517 W. Trout Run Road, Ephrata.

The website Earth911.com has a database where you can plug in your address and item you want to recycle to find the nearest outlets. LNP has found, however, that some of the places listed are no longer in operation.

Won't items no longer being recycled just be taken to the County landfill and fill up sooner?

No, Sandoe said. Unlike most communities in the United States, where materials no longer recycled are being taken to landfills, in Lancaster County the material is taken to the trash-to-energy incinerator and converted into electricity.

The increase in incinerator ash taken to the landfill will be minimal, she said.

But doesn’t that mean more air pollution to already poor air quality in Lancaster County?

The waste-to-energy facility incinerator has an extensive emissions control system and emissions are significantly under limits set by state and federal agencies, Sandoe said.

Why does Penn Waste still collect newspaper and plastics banned in Lancaster County?

Penn Waste is the contracted hauler of curbside recyclables and trash for Lancaster city, and Lancaster, West Lampeter, Mount Joy and Rapho townships.

It also is a recycling processor and continues to take some materials now banned in Lancaster County. Penn Waste’s website advises Lancaster County customers to follow the waste authority’s new guidelines.

March 16, 2018 ·

The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) announces the internal succession of Robert “Bob” Zorbaugh as the next CEO, starting January 1, 2019. The decision was ratified by LCSWMA’s Board of Directors at their March 16th public meeting.

“The Board has great confidence in Bob’s diverse leadership experience and unique abilities,” says Steve Dzurik, LCSWMA’s Board Chair. “He brings a considerable knowledge base, deep industry respect, and great energy to this role. We believe Bob is well-positioned to lead LCSWMA to continue its long history of excellence and service to our community.”

His career with LCSWMA began in 1990 as a Construction Inspector at the Frey Farm Landfill. Zorbaugh then served in progressing management roles for LCSWMA, including Landfill Manager (1993 – 2001), Operations Manager (2001 – 2010), and Chief Operating Officer (2010 – 2018).

During his tenure with LCSWMA, Zorbaugh directed several, critical projects and initiatives that positioned the organization as a nationally-recognized operation within the solid waste industry, as well as a respected, valued, and trusted community partner in Lancaster and Dauphin Counties. Highlights from Zorbaugh’s career include:

Directing a 400,000-ton reclamation project at the Frey Farm Landfill (1991 – 1996), which involved the excavation, processing, and transportation of landfilled waste for waste-to-energy processing—the first project if its kind in Pennsylvania.

Launching an enhanced, comprehensive Safety Program (2002), with LCSWMA receiving numerous safety awards that recognized its stellar record of safe operations for employees, customers, and the community.

Directing the design, construction, and operations of a $34 million revitalization of LCSWMA’s Transfer Station Complex (2005 – 2007), including the first (and only) drive-through Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Pennsylvania.

Directing the operations of a $23 million revitalization of the Susquehanna Resource Management Complex (SRMC) in Harrisburg (2014), including transforming the aesthetics of the site, improving operational efficiencies, and enhancing customer service.

Achieving an outstanding environmental compliance history at all LCSWMA permitted facilities, including over 25-years of zero DEP violations at the Frey Farm Landfill.

Fostering a culture of excellent customer service at LCSWMA, including a focus on offering a quality experience for waste hauling customers and the community.

Zorbaugh says, “I’m honored the Board selected me as the next CEO for this great organization, of which I’ve been a part for almost three decades. I’m also excited about LCSWMA’s future and look forward to continue working with our outstanding employees to fulfill the organization’s mission.”

Starting this August, Zorbaugh will serve as co-CEO with LCSWMA’s current leader, Jim Warner, as Zorbaugh transitions in to the CEO role on January 1, 2019. He conveys gratitude for Warner’s leadership, saying, “Jim has been a wonderful Mentor during my career at LCSWMA, and I appreciate all that he has given to not only myself, but the organization, and community as well.”

Warner, who is retiring at the end of the year, reflects that “Bob has been critical to our success as an organization. He offers a unique combination of knowledge, experience, and skills that strongly positions him to lead LCSWMA into the future. I believe our Board made a wise decision, and I look forward to assisting Bob’s transition into his new role as CEO.”

Beyond LCSWMA, Zorbaugh is a respected leader within the local community and the solid waste industry. He most recently served as Board President (2015 – 2016) for the Keystone Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), LCSWMA’s industry association.

He holds a B.S. in Geo-Environmental Science from Shippensburg University, as well as several operational certifications from SWANA.

February 21, 2018 ·

Jim Warner, CEO for the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA), announced this week his plan to retire from the organization by end of year.

Warner is a 32-year veteran of the solid waste industry, with 22 years at the helm for LCSWMA, guiding the organization through many crucial and strategic moves to position LCSWMA as an industry leader. Under his direction, LCSWMA has grown to an $85 million organization, managing close to 1 million tons of waste annually. LCSWMA has also invested in resources, projects and initiatives that not only fulfill its core mission, but also enhance the livability of the community it serves.

For LCSWMA’s Board of Directors, hiring a successor for Warner will be no easy task, with Steve Dzurik, Board Chair, saying, “During his tenure as CEO, Jim’s vision and entrepreneurial leadership has had a profoundly positive impact on LCSWMA. His strategic decisions have helped shape the organization’s growth and development, transforming it into an innovative industry leader.”

A sub-committee of LCSWMA’s Board is working diligently to find the right person to lead LCSWMA into its next chapter. Dzurik notes that Warner’s retirement has been planned for some time, which afforded the search committee the ability to engage in a thorough process to find his successor. Further announcements on CEO succession will be forthcoming in future months.

As for Warner, his transition at the end of the year marks a new beginning. He says, “I’m proud of the great work we accomplished at LCSWMA over these few last decades. And I now look forward to the next great adventure.”

January 08, 2018 ·

New 15-year operating agreement reached for the Lancaster and Harrisburg Energy-from-Waste facilities

The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) and Covanta (NYSE: CVA), based in Morristown, NJ, announced today a new agreement for the operation and maintenance of LCSWMA’s two Energy-from-Waste facilities: the Lancaster Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Facility, located in Bainbridge, PA, and the Susquehanna Resource Management Complex (SRMC), located in Harrisburg, PA. Combined, these two facilities process around 700,000 tons of waste annually. The new improved agreement, which was finalized at the end of 2017, extends a successful long-term collaboration between LCSWMA and Covanta through 2032.

“LCSWMA is proud to continue working with such an experienced and industry-leading company like Covanta,” says Jim Warner, CEO for LCSWMA. “Waste-to-Energy has been a critical component of LCSWMA’s integrated system that minimizes landfill consumption and generates renewable energy for our community. Covanta has been a vital partner in helping us achieve that goal with great success. This enhanced partnership will help LCSWMA continue offering cost-effective, sustainable waste management services to the residents and businesses we serve.”

LCSWMA retained Covanta’s expertise to design, build and operate the Lancaster WTE Facility. The facility, which Covanta has operated since 1991, serves the sustainable waste management needs of Lancaster County, processing 1,200 tons of municipal solid waste per day to produce enough renewable energy to power 30,000 homes continuously.

The SRMC, serves Dauphin County and the City of Harrisburg by processing up to 800 tons of municipal solid waste per day and generating approximately 23 megawatts of renewable energy that powers state capitol buildings in Harrisburg, PA.

Covanta has operated the SRMC since 2007 and was critical in the turnaround of the facility, completing upgrades that allowed the facility to operate in a reliable and environmentally-sound manner. LCSWMA purchased the SRMC in 2013 from the City of Harrisburg and made significant investments and capital improvements to further enhance facility performance, along with improving customer service and aesthetics of the site.

“We are very pleased to continue our mutually-beneficial partnership with LCSWMA,” said Joey Neuhoff, vice president and general manager of Covanta’s mid-Atlantic region. “LCSWMA has created a world-class integrated waste management system and we are proud of our contributions to that success. We look forward to our continued collaboration over the next 15 years.”

The new agreement stipulates investments and upgrades to the systems at both Energy-from-Waste facilities to ensure continued safe and reliable waste processing and energy production for many years to come.

LCSWMA’s integrated system and Covanta have won numerous awards over the years, including: the Gold Excellence Award in WTE from the Solid Waste Association of North America and Top Plant honors from Power Magazine for the turnaround of the SRMC. The two facilities are also recognized as Star worksites in the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP Star status is the highest honor given to worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems.

An engaged workforce. A stronger community. Both can fuel successful businesses — and luckily, they can go hand in hand.

Companies recognize that highly engaged employees have a positive impact on workplace morale, employee retention and the bottom line.

Ranking high on the list of effective ways to keep employees engaged over the long term is a company’s involvement in community giving. This makes sense, because for many of us there’s no greater feeling than knowing you’re making a difference where you live and work. Fortunately, Lancaster County has a bounty of philanthropic events that can help companies to connect with the community and, at the same time, their employees.

One event that seems to captivate the county each November is the Extraordinary Give (“the ExtraGive”), Lancaster’s largest day of individual giving, raising more than $20 million since 2012. “We have a tremendous amount of philanthropic energy in our community,” said Tracy Cutler, executive vice president, Lancaster County Community Foundation, which organizes and presents the event. “And there are several companies who are using that energy as a catalyst to engage and support their employees as they desire to make a difference in the community.”

For companies like Rhoads Energy, the ExtraGive is an opportunity to celebrate a long tradition of community involvement. “We’re celebrating our 100th anniversary this year, so our involvement in events like the Extraordinary Give helps to reinforce a core value that’s existed from the time Jerome Rhoads founded our company in 1917, which is giving back to our community,” said Jennifer Goldbach, Rhoads Energy vice president of business development.

The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) uses the ExtraGive to help reinforce shared values. “At LCSWMA, we want our employees to be ‘Safe, Well and Happy’,” explained Kathryn Sandoe, LCSWMA Chief Communications Officer. “Part of being ‘Happy’ is giving individuals an opportunity to practice gratitude in their functional role and in their personal life. This event provides a wonderful occasion to accomplish that aim.”

It also provides an opportunity for employees to take the lead in supporting a culture of community involvement. LCSWMA runs an employee-powered campaign that includes peer influencers (“ExtraGive Champions”) at each of its four sites to gain buy-in, plan and promote activities and create buzz.

Likewise, an employee-run committee at Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) drives the company’s participation in the ExtraGive and is responsible for a creative internal campaign to raise awareness. “Our employees put a lot of effort into our campaign, and it’s helped by the fact that Extraordinary Give is already a successful, well-known event on its own,” said Amanda Hershey, ACT Marketing Specialist. “We get to hitch an employee engagement effort to a wagon that already has a lot of momentum.”

Friendly competition between co-workers adds to the fun and heightens the ExtraGive’s campaign buzz. ACT sponsors a dollar-for-dollar match for the first $4,000 raised by its employees. “Since it’s a 24-hour event, people are actually waking up in the middle of the night to be one of the first to make a donation,” said Hershey.

LCSWMA’s campaign committee also organizes competitive challenges and prize incentives to create excitement and build momentum for the ExtraGive. “One of the most rewarding thing is that our employees feel so engaged in the process,” said Sandoe. “They come up with the ideas, the activities, the prizes. It feels like their campaign, because it really is!”

In addition to giving their treasure, employees are also eager to give their time to making Lancaster’s largest day of fundraising a success. On the day of the ExtraGive, Rhoads Energy employees are present at each stop of the “Givingmobile” and also host a Happy Hour of giving, complete with several community giving stations, at the Federal Taphouse in downtown Lancaster.

Meanwhile, dedicated team members from Atomic Design are busy in the weeks and days leading up to the ExtraGive, brainstorming, designing, constructing and installing the eye-catching sets and staging for the ExtraGive’s big celebrations at the Lancaster Marriott. “Most of the projects we work on are out of this area, so many employees don’t get to actually see the fruits of their labor,” said Atomic Design Chief Operating Officer Lydia Henry. “In addition to the fundraising aspect, volunteering our time to the Extraordinary Give appealed to us because it gives our employees an opportunity to showcase their incredible talents locally and celebrate what they do as professionals with their families and friends.”

Companies that participate in this and other well-known philanthropic events often get questions like “Are we doing the ExtraGive again this year?” or positive comments on employee engagement surveys. There’s plenty of anecdotal feedback to convince all of the companies interviewed that their involvement helps create happier, more engaged employees.

LCSWMA’s Sandoe said, “It’s fun, it’s meaningful and it’s a really great way for our employees to help make Lancaster a wonderful place to live, work and recreate. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

November 20, 2017 ·

This is the first article in an educational series, highlighting waste industry news.

SUMMARY:
Language in PA House Bill 118 effectively removed the sunset date from the $2 recycling fee and maintains the Recycling Fund established in Act 101. The bill (now Act 40 of 2017) was signed into law by Governor Wolf on October 30, 2017.

What does this mean and why is it important for our community’s recycling efforts?

Let’s start from the beginning.

Statewide recycling in Pennsylvania began in 1988 with the Municipal Waste Planning Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101) that requires larger municipalities (based on population) to recycle. The Act established a $2-per-ton fee on all waste disposed at municipal waste landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. The fees are placed into a Recycling Fund, from which the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) distributes grant money for local collection programs, public education, materials processing and composting facilities, equipment and technical training.

The Recycling Fund established in Act 101 was due to sunset January 1, 2020.

The hard work is seemingly done, why should community members care if the Recycling Fund ended?

Elimination of the fee, and the associated grant programs it supported, would have significantly impacted recycling programs throughout the Commonwealth. Here’s how…

Up to 70% of the Recycling Fund provides:

development and implementation of county and municipal recycling programs;

municipal recycling program performance grants;

studies to aid in the development of markets for recyclable materials, and studies to encourage and implement waste reduction strategies;

research and demonstration grants for the beneficial use of solid waste;

and more.

Up to 30% of the Recycling fund is allotted to DEP for:

public information and public education;

municipal and county technical assistance programs for litter control, recycling and waste reduction;

research and demonstration projects;

county municipal waste management planning grants;

and more.

Had the Recycling Fund sunset, it would have been felt hard by Lancaster County’s 47 municipal recycling programs. It would have meant no funds for new or existing recycling programs that helped Lancaster County achieve a 44% recycling rate in 2016. But numerous organizations and associations advocated for the Recycling Fund to continue, and those efforts paid off with the passage of House Bill 118.

We hope this information helps you “rethink” waste and its impact on our daily lives including how important programs are funded. As citizens of this earth, we have a responsibility to manage it conscientiously and maximize its potential for a positive impact.

August 08, 2017 ·

Today, LCSWMA began commissioning steam to Perdue AgriBusiness in preparation for the targeted September 2017 start-up of their Soybean Processing Facility adjacent to the Lancaster Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Facility in Conoy Township. LCSWMA sold the contiguous 57-acre tract of land to Perdue in 2016 for $2.48 million in 2016.

The Perdue Soybean Processing Facility includes two main components:

(1) A grain elevator to receive, dry, store, and ship soybeans grown and harvested throughout the region.

(2) The processing plant to process roughly 20 million bushels of soybeans per year and produce soybean meal, soybean hulls, and soybean oil.

LCSWMA will provide around 15% of the steam from the Lancaster WTE Facility (up to 57,000 pounds/hour), which will reduce the environmental footprint of the Perdue Soybean Processing Facility and lower its emissions by avoiding the need to use fossil fuels. Using steam from the Lancaster WTE Facility, instead of creating steam from natural gas or fossil fuels, avoids 20,000-30,000 metric tons of CO2 annually for this project. LCSWMA will also provide process water (up to 130,000 gallons/day or 47 million gallons/annually) from the Lancaster WTE Facility, eliminating the need to use water from the Susquehanna River for the Perdue Soybean Processing Facility. The process water is returned to the Lancaster WTE Facility, where it is treated and recycled yet again in a closed-loop, zero discharge system.

In May 2016, Perdue received its air permit from PA-DEP for the Soybean Processing Facility and began groundwork and construction on the project. LCSWMA spent the latter half of the year focused on engineering design for the necessary steam modifications to the Lancaster WTE Facility, in order to integrate the two facilities. The partners anticipate full commencement of operations at the site to occur in fall 2017.